Let The Child Live
by Scarlet Phoenix
Summary: A Halloween night that will never be forgotten.


child1

**Harry Potter**

****

"James. James, something isn't right. I can feel it," Lily Potter said to her husband on the eve of Halloween, sitting in the kitchen and drinking hot chocolate, trying to soothe her nerves. 

"I know, dear, I feel it too..." James said anxiously from his own seat, where his own hot chocolate remained untouched. "But Peter would never betray us." 

Lily didn't reply, just bit her lip and she cradled their one-year-old baby boy, Harry. "I suppose you're right..." she said hesitantly. She didn't voice her own opinion about the matter, it was too late to changed it now. "Oh James, I don't want to lose you or Harry!" she broke down and started to cry. 

James embraced Lily in a hug. "It'll be okay, Lily...shhh..." They stayed like that for several moments, Lily trying to gain control over herself and failing miserably. But soon enough, she found that she had cried all she possibly could, and pulled out of the comforting hug. "Feeling better?" he asked gently. Lily nodded and started cradling Harry again, who was looking up in confusion at his mother. It was funny--Harry had never cried in all of his life, even if he had come close to it. This was an unusual characteristic in a baby. 

Just as that thought crossed Lily's mind, a loud sound came from the living room--almost like the door had been blown off its hinges. A night breeze swept them all, and somehow they both knew who it was, even before a high, cold voice called, "Good evening, Potter and Mudblood." 

James and Lily looked at each other for a split second before James said, "Lily! Lily, it's Him! Go, run, take Harry--I'll hold him off--" 

Lily shook her head stubbornly. "I won't leave you James!" 

"Lily, run! Take our son with you! Go!" At the words 'our son' Lily's mind seemed to click: she needed to get out of there, fast, before Voldemort came. 

"I love you James!" she sobbed before turning and stumbling out of the room and running up the stairs. She wasn't sure if she imagined it or not, but she could have swore she heard an "I love you too, Lily." 

She burst into the upstairs bedroom and hastily got out her wand and tried to conjure some flames in the fireplace. In her haste, her shaky hands dropped it on the floor. She was still sobbing, clutching Harry tightly. _Damn you Peter! You betrayed us all! _She knelt down and blindly reach for it, for her eyes were too blurred with tears to see anything properly. At last, she felt the smooth tip of her wand and she picked it up. Her mind went temporarily blank with panic. What spell was it that conjured fire? She glanced down at Harry, who was watching his mother with wide eyes. _I'll never get to see you again, baby boy. _A lump in her throat almost made her start to cry again, but she fiercely reminded herself that now was not the time. Glancing once more at Harry, a spell to use popped her her mind. 

"Infamio!" she screeched, and a fire magically started to cackle like it had burning for hours. Her hands reached up on the banister for some Floo Powder, and she finally grasped the bag. With one hand, she started to open it-- 

"_Avada Kedavra!_" 

The bag of Floo Powder dropped to the floor as Lily heard one of the worst sounds in her life: the two words of the Killing Curse, and a sickening thud as James's body hit the floor. 

Her sobs became louder as she slowly sank to the ground. James--she remembered pulling pranks with him against the Slytherins, pulling pranks of each other and getting detentions, James and her engaged, James asking her to marry him--he was gone. 

The only thing that brought her out of her misery was another loud bang, and this time it was close. Lily lifted up her tear stricken face to see Voldemort. 

"I just killed your husband, Mudblood," Voldemort hissed, a cruel tinge of amusement in his voice. "Now I will kill the child.' 

"No!" Lily screamed. 

Voldemort smiled evilly. "Stand aside, silly girl." 

"No!" Lily screamed again, her goal fresh in her mind: Harry has to survive. "No, please, have mercy!" 

"GIVE ME THE CHILD!" Voldemort shouted so loudly that the whole house shook. "GIVE HIM TO ME, AND YOU CAN LIVE!" 

Lily looked straight into those cold, merciless eyes. "No, please, take me instead! Kill me, just not Harry! Have mercy--have mercy!" 

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Voldemort said forcefully yet again. This time, Lily Potter was the unlucky one to see a flash of blinding green light, and she saw her life flash before her eyes: being teased by the kids at Muggle school, getting her acceptance letter to Hogwarts, playing pranks with the gang, getting married, having Harry. Then she felt to ground, unmistakably dead. Her last thought was, _Let the child live.___

Voldemort turned towards Harry now, still in his dead mother's arms. "Good bye, Harry," he said, and raised his wand. "_Avada Kedavra!_" But something went wrong. Voldemort sensed it, and knew full well what was coming as he watched in horror...the flash of light hit the baby in the forehead, then bounced off. A pain beyond pain hit him as his spirit was ripped from his body. 

His spirit floated upwards for a moment, and before the entire house crumbled down, Voldemort saw his body burst into flames and disappear. His spirit started to move away with the wind, and he cursed the young Harry Potter--and swore that he would get his revenge. 

Meanwhile, Harry Potter was laying in the crumbled heap of his used to be house. With his head throbbing painfully and not knowing what was going on, his tiny yet wide eyes searched around and couldn't find his mother or father. It was pure instinct that he realized both of his parents wouldn't be coming to hold him tight anymore. They wouldn't sing any more lullabies to him, or cradle him in the night when he got scared. They wouldn't be coming to him anymore. 

For the first time in his short life, Harry began to cry. 

_Let the child live._


End file.
